Microstock Group - A meeting place for microstock photographers

I am heading to Photo Plus near the end of the month and plan to do some shooting the days before.

I am planning on organizing a few small shoots for myself (hopefully 4-5 if I can find enough models) and am happy to open it up to others.  

So if you are around come and join the fun. Set up is going to be fairly relaxed (read very relaxed) and simple... and hopefully fun .  I won't have make-up or stylists, the models will come ready to shoot.  We will be shooting with a reflector and/or shade filter thing, maybe a speedlight, and whatever else other people bring.

Here is what is going on and the costs involved

Oct 20
Shooting the city center (Manhattan)
Meet at this sign http://tinyurl.com/ykvh93n for both shoots
10:00-13:00 : Modern City Life (5 models)
14:00 - 17:00 : Business in the city (4 models)

• Cost if shooting: your share of modeling fees, we will be paying $100/model
• Cost if assisting: free and a free coffee / beer afterwards

Walking around and shooting: free
going for supper / dinks / coffee : free (that is to say - you pay for whatever you order)

Oct 21
Shoot to take place in Central Park
Meet here at 10:00 and 14:00  http://tinyurl.com/yk3xgp7 at the lamp post and benches (in the background)
10:00-13:00 : Exercise in the park (4 models)
14:00-17:00 : Park Couple (2 models - a couple)

• Cost if shooting: your share of modeling fees, we are paying $100/model
• Cost if assisting: free and a free coffee / beer afterwards

Walking around and shooting: free
going for supper / dinks / coffee : free (that is to say - you pay for whatever you order)

The UGCX event starts at 18:30 (the panel starts at 19:00) so we will probably go direct to this after the last shoot.  Hopefully we will have time to grab something to eat.

If you come for a model session then you have to either shoot or assist, no spectators allowed As there will be photographers uploading the images to multiple sites, the images from the shoot cannot be uploaded as exclusive to any site.

Other activities on the list (maybe):
Perhaps we can get a little tour of Shutterstock or Fotolia offices - hmm it looks like the days will be pretty full of shooting so not sure this will happen.  but I may try get in a little visit during Photoplus

The modeling fees will be your share of whatever the models cost.  If we have 2 models for a shoot (paid $100 each) and there are 2 photographers then your share of that shoot will be 50% of $200... $100.  If we are two photographers we can switch off assisting and shooting so we don't have all the same images.  If we are 4 photographers we can split up into 2 groups and hopefully get more models.  You can take part in as many or few shoots as you want.

I am going to be doing this either way, so it isn't going to be canceled.. unless I can't find any models - but being in New York I can't see that being a problem.  If no models are found then we will just be walking / shooting / and going for drinks. edit:  there are plenty of models.  We will have well over 10.

Other costs and organization such as hotels, transportation, food etc etc are, of course, your own responsibility.

Remember
BYOR (Bring your own release): Make sure you bring your own releases and you fill out your information in advance.
Bring a wad of $100 bills (or a bigger wad of $20):  The models will be paid at the shoot.  Each model will be getting $100, so if you want to shoot make sure you bring your cash.  The amount of $$ you will need will depend a bit on who all is shooting.

Hi,

I absolutely would love to be there. I will arrive in NYC on the 18th from Europe. How can we meet? Where and and what time  will you be on location?

Best,

Mark Milstein

yeah i realize it is a bit last minute, if a few people make it and the organizing of models seems manageable, perhaps another time it can be better planned.

I'd be happy to come along as a producer/art director but I don't get to NY until the 21st and I'm busy with meetings all that day.    More notice next time!

A few of us from Veer will be in NYC that week. Would love to connect and participate.
I gotta wipe the dust off my gear and get shooting!

- Brian

yes it is for sure going forward.  I just spent the last 3 hours sorting through models.  Another couple hours and I should have the first choice pics done.  I will let you know when they are confirmed.

The shoot 'subjects' will be exercise in the park, business in the city, modern city life, and one more.. perhaps another modern city life or a couple's portraits theme.  There will be 2 shoots each day hopefully around 11-13 and 14-16.

If it rains... uhhaaahhhhh...  it isn't going to rain.    Perhaps if it rains I would cancel one of the shoots and just make due with the others.  Take rain in the city pics or something.

I am not 100% sure of the location yet, but near downtown new york.  Somewhere where we can get a NY feel to the image while avoiding all the advertising.

To give you an idea for costs (if you want to be part of the model shoots) I am going to be offering the models $100/each for the shoot with all shoots having at least 2 models, some having 4 (maybe).  Whoever shoots will split the modelling fees equally as well as the shooting time will be split equally.  I'll let your know more as I find out.

7 models have been confirmed so far.

11 models are confirmed, 5 undecided.

I also updated the first post with more details.

Do you guys (Brian (or other Veer ppl) or Microstocksolutions), or other people (it is not too late to join in) know when, or what parts of the shoot you are interested in joining in for?  If we are three shooters for parts of it I won't be worried about getting an extra model or two.

Did you check out the first post again?  I updated the times earlier today
The times are now set for sure.  The locations are
Oct 20: Downtown either manhattan or Brooklyn Update: we meet here at 10:00 and 14:00
http://tinyurl.com/ykvh93n at the BMCC (Borough of Manhattan Community College) sign by Washington Market Park
Oct 21: Central Park

Wow, I just found this thread and I'm very interested. I won't get into NY until Wednesday so I could only make it to the last one on the 21st. Please let me know if there's room for it.
Thanks!

Well I'm back from a week in NYC.  It was very fun to see the city (it was my first time there) and great to meet everyone who came to PhotoPlus.

We were a small crowd (3 people at most, but almost 4 or 5 ) plus models.  Mark from MicrostockSolutions and Jim from Selling-Stock.com were there helping out - but I was the only shooter.  I will post some images when they get online - and a few comments about 'what I learned'

Another time I will try to give more notice.

haha, well that might of been the problem

I don't think I will suffer at all because I was the only shooter.  I wanted to do this shoot either way.  I think having additional shooters may have decreased my income actually - but I wanted to try to organize a little gtg, something that I had been thinking about for a while.  So, as the only shooter, I won't have to compete with other similar shots.  That said, yeah, I do have $1400 in model fees I have to now recoup. .... back to editing photos  

I also feel I learned a few things from the shoot which should be worth a bit too.  I think I far too often have the misconception that it is OK (and worthwhile) to pay for traditional education (school / classes / conferences/ courses) but the education of life or experiences should be free.... however this is not the case.

Nope, no problems.  We were chased of a college campus once - no big deal we just moved.  I just had a portable strobe and reflector for set up so it wasn't a big deal.

Perhaps I am glad I didn't know, or else I might not have tried

Otherwise shooting in the city wasn't a problem.  There were cops all over one day because Obama was coming to town, but none of them said anything to our shooting so it must not have been a problem.